To open Refugee Week 2025, the Vietnamese Museum Australia proudly hosted a moving and memorable Gala Dinner to mark 50 years since the fall of Saigon, and with it, 50 years of Vietnamese settlement in Australia.
This milestone event honoured the journey of the Vietnamese ‘boat people’ and the extraordinary contributions of our community to Australia’s multicultural fabric. It also raised vital funds for the Vietnamese Museum Australia, the first national museum dedicated to preserving and sharing these powerful stories.
The evening brought together an incredible mix of people; donors, veterans, volunteers, community leaders, multicultural allies, police, and politicians – all united in celebrating a shared history that is deeply Vietnamese and unmistakably Australian.
We were honoured to welcome a number of special guests, including:
- Dr Daniel Mulino, Assistant Treasurer of Australia
- Dai Le MP, Independent Member for Fowler
- The Hon. Natalie Suleyman MP
- Evan Mulholland MP
- Sarah Connolly MP, Member for Laverton
- Trung Luu MP, Member for Western Metropolitan Region
- Vivienne Nguyen AM, Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission
Heartfelt thanks to Dai Le MP and Victorian Multicultural Commission Chair Viv Nguyen AM for their powerful keynote speeches, and to Uncle Shane Charles for the warm Welcome to Country.
We are deeply grateful to our major sponsors for making this event possible:
- The Glen Asian Grocer
- Foot Solutions
- John Stonemart Memorials
A big thank you to our performers for showcasing the richness of Vietnamese culture, and to our production team at JT. Production Management for bringing the event to life with precision.
Our story is the Australian story. And together, we are ensuring it is never forgotten.
